An independently-produced reprise of Rajiv Joseph's play "Gruesome Playground Injuries" returns to the Basil Burwell Community Theater in Belfast for one weekend, July 2-5.

A biting, hard-edged dark comedy, according to a news release, "Gruesome Playground Injuries" follows Doug (Mark Durbin) and Kayleen (Katie Glessner), two people whose lives become entwined through a series of accidents, illnesses, scars, and emotional wounds over the course of thirty years. Beginning in a school nurse's office when they are eight years old, their unlikely relationship unfolds through a series of encounters that are by turns hilarious, unsettling, heartbreaking, and beautiful.

Premiering in 2009, "Gruesome Playground Injuries" has become one of the most widely-produced modern American plays, according to the news release.

"Joseph's script combines razor-sharp humor with emotional honesty, exploring the complicated ways people seek connection," said the release. "While the title suggests blood and broken bones, the play's deepest wounds may be invisible. Jumping forward and backward in time, the play reveals the characters at pivotal moments in their lives. As audiences piece together the timeline, a portrait emerges of two damaged people who repeatedly find their way back to one another despite every obstacle."

"Joseph’s writing is darkly funny, finding laughter in both pain and intimacy over those years," said director Erik Perkins. "It's a mystery
in many ways. The scenes are like scars, some fresh and some forgotten through the years. The story is constructed so that often you see the effect of a wound before you discover the cause of it."

Perkins continues: "And with just two actors onstage and no ensemble to hide behind, every moment lands squarely on the performers, who carry the audience through the years of emotional and physical wreckage."

That pair are played by Mark Durbin and Katie Glessner, fixtures in Midcoast theater productions.

"I’m drawn to plays that leave a lot of room to explore relationships, and this one does that in a very nontraditional way," said
Glessner. "It felt like a new kind of challenge for me as an actor and a meaningful choice for a self-produced project. We were excited by the chance to present something audiences might not typically see in a small community theater setting."

"Katie and I have worked together several times onstage, often playing opposite each other," added Durbin. "This show has allowed us to explore that interpersonal sphere more so than any other. We get to delve into the peaks and valleys and the idiosyncrasies of two people who come and go in each other’s lives, and this has provided us with endless fodder for exploratory discussions, especially as it relates to different ages in the characters’ lives."

The small team originally presented the play in January this year.

"We only intended to put the show up for one weekend," said Perkins. "But we were repeatedly approached by people who had seen it and felt like more people needed to—even some that wanted to see it again. Others, who were away this winter, also asked if we would consider a reprise. After some discussion internally, and with the venue (Belfast Maskers), we decided to give it another go."

Performances are July 2, 3, and 4, at 7 p.m.; with 2 p.m. matinees on Saturday, July 4 and Sunday, July 5. The Basil Burwell Theater is at 17 Court Street in Belfast, Maine. A portion of the proceeds will help support Belfast Maskers' 2026 programming.

Tickets are on sale now for $20 at http://belfastmaskers.com/gruesome